Whiffletree.



F. E. LACK.

WHIFFLETREE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25. 1913.

1, 1 4:9, 372 Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH :0, WASHINGTON. D.

rims E. teen, on rAnuoeH, KENTUCKY.

WHIFFLET-REE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedAug. 10,1915.

Application filed August 25, 1913. serial No. 786,350.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LFINIs E. Lack, 'a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Paducah, in the county of McCracken and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful improvements in VVhifiietrees, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relatesto improvements in whiiiictrees, the primary object ofthe invention being to provide a generally improved whifiletree of exceedingly simple, durable, and efficient construction, better adapted to its intended purposes than any other device of the same class with which I am acquainted.

A. further object is to provide a. metallic whi'l'lletree of improved form adapted to give it great strength together with an improved truss-rod or member for cooperating with the tree-bar and still further strengthening the latter. I I

A still further object is to improve the construction of the whililetree hooks and the arrangement and combination of the latter with the tree-bar whereby the ends of the latter are adapted to close the hooks and have abutting contact or engagement therewith when the hooks are under tension or in a pendant position by reason of the suspension of the whiflletree bar.

A still further object is to provide an improved selfclosing or gravity locking hook having a plurality of abutments (in the present instance three in number) adapted to contact or interlock with adjacent parts of the whiflietree for the purpose of receiving and. distributing the strains or stresses on the hook when in its closed or operative position thereby greatly relieving the pivoted or hearing portion of the hook from strain or wear.

A. still further object is to provide an improved whifiletrec hook so arranged and disposed relative to the ends of the whifiletree as to be stopped in its respective open and closed positions, and when the whifiletree is in a suspended or substantially vertical position, to drop into a closed position and when in its closed position will not present any dangerous or undesirable projecting points to injure the draftanimal or to come into contact with or injure the adjacent or contiguous parts such as growing corn or the like as in plowing or cultivating, or other use.

lVith the above mentioned and other ends in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in one of its embodiments in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1, is atop plan view of the improved whiifietr'ee, thel'eft handbook being, shown in its open position, and the right hand hook in its closed or operative position, as when in use or when substantially T-shaped bar the head 1 being preferably curved or oval shaped, and the web portion 1 cut array or inset from the ends of the bar 1 as at l". I

The ends of the bar are provided with hool'c-receiving openings or slots 1 adapted to receive and contain the shank portions of the hooks 2, 'said'hooks being pivoted at the rear of the openings or slots 1, to the ends of the web member 1 and have a free but limited movement in the slot openings 1' so that the hooks are adapted to swing longitudinally of the axis or plane of the tree bar.

The pivoted portions of the hooks, in the present instance, are secured to the web ends ot'the po'rtion'l of the bar by means of the ends 3 of a truss-rod or bar 3, said ends 3 passing through suitable openings in the web l and forming bearings for the bearing portions of the hooks 2. The ends 3 are riveted or upset as at 3 and the middle portion of the truss-bar or rod extends through and is seated in a recess 4 of the whiiiietree clevis 4.

As a means for taking up and distributing the strains or stresses of the hook upon adjacent parts of the tree-bar, and greatly relieving the pivoted or hearing portion of the hook when the latter is in use and under tension, the hook is provided with a plurality of bearing points or abutments (in the 2 e v ,Y 4 Jai 72 i present instance three in number) the bearing portion or abutment Q't'being adapted to come into engagement with the adjacent end of the Web 1, the abutment 2* being adapted to contact or interlock with the head 1 (see Fig. 1)fadjacent theinner side of the slot opening 1, and the abutment or inturned portion 2? at the free or tip end of a By reason of the construction above de scribed it will be seen that the hooks 2,

have a free but limited longitudinal movement within the openings or slots 1 and that by pulling the same outwardly to an open position as indicated at the left hand side of Figs. 1 and 2 the trace may be readily. ad-

mitted through the mouth of the hook,and

upon the return of the latter by tension or gravity same will be closed by the adjacent end of the whiflietree bar. a

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood.

Having thus described one of the embodiments of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. A whifiietree, comprising a tree-bar having hook receiving openings at its ends,

and pivoted hookshaving their shank portions extending through and having a 11mited to and fro movement in said openings,

said shanks being provided with inwardly extending pivot relieving abutments normally interlocking with the rear portions of said bar.

2. A whiflietree, comprising a T shaped tree-bar provided with hook receiving openings and having the ends of its web portion cut away atthe rear of said openings, and hooks having shank portions pivotally secured to the ends of said web portion and provided with abutments normally in en- 7 gagement with the ends of said web portion and interlocking with said tree-bar at the mner SldGS'Of said openings.

3. A whiffietree, comprising a T-shaped tree-bar provided with hook receiving openings and having the ends of its web portion cut away at the rear of said openings, and

hooks provided with shanks extending through said openings and pivotally secured to the ends of said web portions, said shanks being provided with pivot relieving abutments normally engaging with the ends of said tree-bar at the rear of said openings;

at. A whiflletree, comprising a T-bar pro-.

vided with hook-receiving openings, hooks extending through and having limitedlongitudinal movements in said openings, a truss-rod connected to said hooks and the web portion ofx'said T-bar, saidhooks being normally closed byand having abutments in engagement with said bar whereby to relieve the pivoted portions of said hooks v from strain, and wear. a I

5. A whiffletree, comprising a 'T-shaped tree-bar provided with hooky-receiving openings and having the ends of its web portion cut away at the rear of said openings, hooks pivotally secured to the ends of said web,

portion and extending through said openings and having abutments in engagement with said tree-bar when in a closed position, and a truss-rod connected to the ends of said web portion of said tree-bar.

,6. In combination; aswingle-tree having a vertically extending forwardly disposed portion. at each end thereof, and a hook at each end .of said swingletree, each of said hooks being pivoted to said tree and being provided with shouldered shank and bill portions arranged for simultaneous engagement with the respective vertical portions.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FINIS E. LACK.

l/Vitnesses R. S. PIERCE, O. C. BILLMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forofive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents I Washington, D. 0.? a 

